The International Cricket Council (ICC) has handed down its verdict on the Perth Stadium pitch for the quickest Ashes Test in 137 years by rating it as ‘very good’ despite criticism over the fast-paced nature of the match.

Australia took a 1-0 series lead inside two days with 19 wickets falling on the first day alone, but Perth Stadium head curator Isaac McDonald and Perth Stadium arena operations manager Brendan Large’s process and expertise in preparing the surface has been vindicated with the strong rating. 

The ICC runs under a four-tier rating system, with ‘very good’ the highest possible ranking awarded to pitches "good carry, limited seam movement, and consistent bounce early in the match, allowing for a balanced contest between batters and bowlers".

The entire Test match lasted just 847 deliveries, making it the quickest completed Ashes Test in 137 years since the days of four-ball overs.

Cricket Australia's chief of cricket James Allsopp praised the work done by the team to deliver a world-class cricket pitch.

"The match referee's 'very good' rating justifies our belief Perth Stadium produced a pitch that provided a fair balance between bat and ball,” he said in a statement. "The dominance of some brilliant pace bowling from both sides and the frenetic nature of the contest meant the match lasted only two days.

"This was disappointing for fans holding tickets for days three and four, but we saw some incredible moments which captivated huge viewing audiences and will inspire even more kids to pick up a bat and ball this summer. As always, we want to ensure pitches across Australia have their own characteristics and we're looking forward to another enthralling contest under lights at the Gabba starting next Thursday."

The ASTMA congratulates the hard working crew at Perth Stadium for all their hard work in preparing the pitch.

The Men's Ashes now moves to the Gabba Test, which will begin on December 4.

Story: Nick Creely